Cotton is one of the important cash crops in not only Mississippi, but also the entire United States. Pests, such as plant-parasitic nematodes are a serious economic threat to cotton production. The Rotylenchulus reniformis (reniform nematode) is one of the most prevalent cotton parasites in the southeastern United States. The reniform nematode may cause a cotton crop yield loss as high as 40–60%.
The reniform nematode produces visible damage, such as reduced root system, reduced boll size, reduced plant size, a yellowish cast of color on the plant, and sometimes a purple hue to the leaf margins. Nematicides are the most frequently utilized means of nematode management. Nonetheless, when visible effects can be observed by the naked eye, the cotton crop has already lost most of its potential economic return. In order to decrease that loss, nematode detection needs to be made early in the infection, and the correct population estimate is required to determine the proper treatment of the infection.
Currently, to gage the reniform nematode population, soil samples must be collected from the cotton fields. The samples must be placed in a similar water proof bag and kept cool. Each zip-lock bag must be specifically labeled and sent to a testing laboratory as soon as possible. The laboratory performs the test to determine nematode population in the samples. The entire process is costly and time consuming, taking two weeks to several months. When the producer receives the results weeks later, they may have lost their window of an opportunity to effectively implement a nematode management program, costing the producers even more in economic returns. Accordingly, there is a need for rapid detection of reniform nematode infection in cotton plants and effective management of the reniform nematode population.